Background

For a 24 week cycle, researchers tested the ketogenic diet on 39 men and 44 women. Each person included in the study had to have a body mass index of over 35 and other health complications like high blood sugar and low HDL cholesterol levels. The total carbohydrate intake allowed was 20 to 30 grams, alongside 80 to 100 grams of essential proteins.

At the conclusion of the study, all patients lost a significant amount of weight, lowered their bad cholesterol levels (LDL), and increased their good cholesterol levels (HDL). The average weight of participants lowered from 223 lbs to 193 lbs. Blood sugars also lowered closer to the average range. The diet was proven to be beneficial over a long period of time, with little to no side effects. The health benefits of this study are astounding, and can be achieved by a simple low-carb diet.

Ketogenic Diet Explained

The body enters ketosis when there is not enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. Typically, this only happens when the body is literally starved of carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet mimics this state by limiting carbohydrate intake. The body then begins to produce ketone bodies in the liver, which are fatty acids that provide energy for other organs and functions of the body. Some organs, such as the brain, can actually function better on ketone bodies rather than glucose.

Other ketogenic diet studies have shown that the diet may reduce seizures for epileptic children. While the exact reasons for this are unknown, there is plenty of evidence that is a naturally therapeutic diet. The ketogenic diet was originally introduced in 1920 to epileptic patients. Patients on the ketogenic diet lost a significant amount of weight, while the group not on the diet gained weight.

The body naturally goes into a low ketosis mode if you fast or do a heavy workout. Having a small amount of ketone bodies in the bloodstream can actually prevent hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Although the popular belief is that fat leads to obesity and heart disease, ketogenic diet studies show this to be a misconception. A high fat, low carb diet can actually lead to weight loss and lower the risk of heart disease.

Keto Results

All in all, the studies have shown that the keto diet reduced the bad cholesterol (LDL) by ⅓ of its original amount on average. Good cholesterol (HDL), on the other hand, increased quite a lot. The triglycerides, or fatty acids, went down to almost half of their original levels. Blood sugar levels also decreased by ⅓ of the original. The side effects for weight loss, compared to drug administered aids, were also not seen in this 24 week long regime. Therefore, it is safe to say that the ketogenic diet does not have any negative long term effectson a patient.